Remote control apparatus



y 1933- A. E. WEINGARTNER El AL 1,919,758

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Sept. 20, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 dgagrvmymi m M Y R933- A. E. WEINGARTNER ET AL 1,919,758

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Sept. 20, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 25, 1933. A. E. WEINGARTNER ET AL 1,919,753

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Sept. 20, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 y 1933- A. E. WEINGARTNER ET AL 1,919,758

' REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Sept. 20, 1928 5 -S eet 4 IMP/481 srkoms r mums/e15 0 lVfkV- if 4T 23 5 July 25, 1933.

A, E. WEINGARTNER ET AL 1,919,753

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Se t. 20, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 25, 1933 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE ANTHONY E. WEINGAHTNEH, F :BEIHIQEHEMLAND oHA LEs V. KOONS, oP PHILA- DELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN ENGINEERING COMPANY, 0P PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA n'nmio'rn ooNirnor. APPA ATUS kpplication filed. September 20, 1928. Serial No. 307,264.

This invention relates to improvements in remote control apparatus, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a novel, simple and efficient device of that character adapted for use in boats and elsewhere to afford a remote control for reversing or other mechanism.

In the attached drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a remote control device made in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged reverse side elevation with a side plate of the base removed to disclose details of the mechanism;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the device partly sectioned to illustrate the gearing details;

Fig. 4; is an enlarged end elevation partly in section showing structural details of the device;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the base of the mechanism and the crank or lever detail;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66, Fig. 3; Fig. 7 'is a section on the line 77, Fig. 5, and

Fig. 8 is a more or less diagrammatic elevational view illustrating the device as a whole and including the manual actuating element. 7 i I I Our device in a preferred form comprises an electric motor 1 with a variable stroke hydraulic pump 2 to which the motor is directly connected. Both the motor and pump are mounted in the present instance upon a base 3 which as shown in Figs. 4; and 6 includes a pair of working cylinders 4 and 5 which are connected'with the pump 2 through pipes'G and 7, these pipes re spectively communicating with one end of the cylinders 4 and 5 through ports 8 and 9. Also as shown in Fig. 2, the pipes 6 and 7 through extensions 11 and 12 respectively communicate through ports 13 and 14, see

Fig. 6, with the opposite ends of the cylin ders 5 and 4. Fluid pressure applied through either of the pipes 6 or 7 to one end of either one of the cylinders must accordingly result in an application of the same pressure to the opposite end of the other cylinder. v

- As shown in Fig. 6, the cylinders 4E and '5 are provided with plungers l5 and 16 respectively, each of which is provided intermediate its ends with a rack 17, both of' which are engaged by a pinion 18 carried on a shaft 19 j ournaled in and extending transversely through the base 3, as shown in Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. 6, the shaft 19 extends through and the pinion 18 operates inan opening 21 in the partitioning wall which separates the cylinders 1 and 5. The two plungers operating in opposite directions as hereinafter described impart equal torque on the top and bottom of the pinion.

"The shaft 19 carries at one end and in an exterior exposed position an adjustable op erating lever or crank which in the present instance takes the form of a disk 22having a diametrical slot in which is slidably fitted a lever arm 23, from one end of which projects transversely a pin or crank 24. The arm 23 is adjustable longitudinally inthe disk 22 and is locked in adjusted position by means in the present instance of a set screw 25. The throw of the crank 24 can thus be regulated as required.

At its opposite end and within a housing 26 the shaft 19 carries a spur gear 27 which through a spur gear 28 is operatively connected with a pinion 29 journaled upon a journal bar 31 projecting from the pump casing. The pinion 29 has integral there with a bevel pinion 32 which meshes with a pinion 33 loosely journaled on a pin 34 at the lower end of a yoke 35 pivotally mounted on the journal bar 31, and the opposite side of the pinion 33 is engaged by a third bevel pinion 36 journaled in the housing 26 and on the journal bar 31, as shown in Fig. 3. The pinion 36 projects through the housing 26 and has secured to the'projecting end 37 thereof a sprocket 38, as shown in Fig. 8, the function of which will be described hereinafter. r I

The yoke 35 carries at the top a spur, gear segment 89 which meshes with a pinion 41 on a nut 42 which rotates freely in engagement with the threaded extremity of a shaft 43, this shaft 43 being operatively associated with the pump 2 and by its longitudinal movement controlling the stroke of the pump and the direction of discharge. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the nut 42 is longitudinally anchored to the pump casing, as

indicated at 44.

The pump 2 preferably is of a well known commercial type operating upon well known principles to afford not only a variable stroke but also a reversal of the direction of flow or discharge, together with an intermediate neutral position in which the pump operates idly and without discharge in either direction. Such a pump is that shown in the HeleShaw and Martineau Patent No. 1,077,979, dated November 11, 1913. This pumping apparatus comprises in addition to the parts previously set forth a make-up tank 45 which in the present instance is an integral part of the base 3 and which is connected with one end of each of the cylinders 4 and 5 through check valves 46 and 47, see Fig. 4, these valves permitting passage of additional fluid to the system as required. The make-up tank 45 is also connected with the pump proper through a pipe 48 which constitutes an oil leakage drain from the pump casing. The operation of the pump will be readily understood by those familiar with the art.

The operation of the pump as stated above is controlled in the present instance through the shaft 43 which may be moved longitudinally through the medium of the gear segment 39 and the nut 42. Movement of the control shaft 43 is controlled manually through the pinion 36 andsprocket 38 and automatically from the pinion 18. through the bevel pinion 32 and the intervening train of spur gears. The latter control constitutes in effect a follow-up device which subsequent to the manual. actuation of the pump in either direction and to any extentresults in an automatic return of to the neutral position.

In the use of this device as a remote control on boats and as shown in Fig. 8, the sprocket 38 will be connected through a sprocket chain 49 and cable 51 with a hand lever 52 located at the remote control station, this lever 52 being movable from a neutral position in either direction, thereby resulting in an oscillation of the sprocket 38 also in either direction from a predetermined neutral. Assuming that the pump 2 is in the neutral position, it will be apparent that movement of the operating lever 52 from the neutral position (the shaft 19 remaining fixed) will result in a fluid discharge from the pump either through the pipe 6 or 7, de-

pending on the direction of the original movement of the lever 52. This operation of the pump results in a reverse movement in the pump one direction or the other of the pistons 15 and 16 in the cylinders 4 and 5, and a consequent oscillation of the pinion 18 and the shaft 19. From a neutral position, therefore, the crank 24 is oscillated to a predetermined extent in one direction or the other. This oscillation of the shaft 19 results, however, in a rotative movement of the bevel pinion 32 in a reverse direction to the original or actuating movement of the bevel pinion 36 and, the latter being held stationary, returns the gear segment 39 and shaft 43 to the original and neutral position.

The lever or crank device 22-24 may be connected to the reversing clutch and gear 54 of the boat motor 55 whereby the direction of rotation of the propeller shaft 56 may be controlled. In such instance, it will be apparent that the device by reason of the variable stroke of the motor 2 is useful not only to determine the direction of rotation of the propeller shaft but also when landing or maneuvering requires slipping the clutch, this being easily accomplished by manipulation of the hand lever 52 between the extreme ahead or astern and the neutral positions. For such purposes, the device affords an extremely sensitive control. The device may also be applied to the actuation of a movable blade propeller for reversing the direction of the propeller impulse and thereby the direction of movement and speed of the boat.

While the herein described device has been designed primarily for use in connection with a reverse control for boats, it will be apparent that its utility is not limited to this application, and in fact is enerally applicable in the remote control or such mechanisms as valve gears, dampers, governor regulators and similar devices involving the movement of a control device into alternate positions. I

We claim:-

In a remote control device, the combination with a base housing, of an electric motor mounted on said housing, a variable stroke reversible delivery fluid pump also mounted on said housing and connected to said motor, a shaft journaled in said base housing, a working cylinder formed in said housing, a double-acting plunger in said cylinder oper atively connected with said shaft, means for operatively connecting the cylinder with the said pump, a make-up tank formed in said base housing and having a port communicating with one end of the cylinder, a check valve controlling said port, manual control means for said pump, and follow-up rontrol means also connected with said pump and responsive to movement of said shaftv 

